TEMPLARS Advises on Nigeria’s First-Ever Flare Gas-Powered Digital Infrastructure Project

Our role involved extensive project structuring, strategic legal and regulatory advisory services, navigating/advising on recondite issues and the negotiation and execution of a Gas Connection Agreement with the OML 30 joint venture partners.

The pioneering project seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by facilitating the commercialisation of flare gas derived from upstream oil and gas production and transforming gas that would otherwise be flared into clean energy to power sustainable, high-performance modular data centers, support with bitcoin mining and later expand into AI computing and data processing in collaboration with a leading global technology partner.

The first three launch gas flare sites (Afesiere, Eriemu and Kokori in the Niger-Delta) are expected to deliver 53 megawatts (MW) of off-grid electricity. In addition to its industrial application, the project includes plans to electrify underserved rural communities as part of a broader host community development initiative.

The project is a major step forward for Nigeria’s gas expansion programme, energy transition agenda, and digital transformation initiative, and will contribute significantly to energy security, and the growth of Nigeria’s digital economy.

The TEMPLARS team was led by Partners Yemisi Awonuga and Desmond Ogba, with additional support from Sesan Sulaiman (Partner, Tax). Other team members included Managing Counsel, Inna Ali, Senior Associate, Temple Ezebuike, and Associates, Mariam Adebayo, Chibuike Ikefuna and Nabila Gaduya.